By Russell V.
SouthernPigskin.com

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All three schools seems like great fits for the conference, which is something the SoCon has needed with the recent mass exodus of schools.

nIn one of the lesser well-kept secrets in recent history, the Southern Conference has announced that it has extended invitations to Mercer, Virginia Military Institute and East Tennessee State to join the conference starting in 2014. Mercer and ETSU have accepted the bids, while VMI is expected to do the same on Friday. All three schools seems like great fits for the conference, which is something the SoCon has needed with the recent mass exodus of schools.

nSo now that we know who is going the party that is the Southern Conference, letxe2x80x99s get to know our new friends better, starting withxe2x80xa6

nEast Tennessee State

nAn old friend comes back as the Buccaneers return to the Southern Conference. ETSU was a member of the SoCon from 1978-2005. The school, located in Johnson City, Tennessee, is the fourth-largest university in the state, with 10,259 undergraduate students. ETSU has 16 sports now that it has decided to reinstate football xe2x80x93 the schoolxe2x80x99s decision to drop football in 2003 was part of the reason the Buccaneers left the SoCon for the Atlantic Sun back in 2005. When the Bucs stopped football nearly a decade ago, they had compiled an all-time record of 342-403-26, including 4-2 in the playoffs. Among their most famous former players: former Tampa Bay and New York Jets cornerback Donnie Abraham, former Jacksonville and Dallas safety Gerald Sensabaugh and current Atlanta head coach Mike Smith.

nMercer

nThe return of Mercer signals another homecoming, as former Furman head coach Bobby Lamb returns to the Southern Conference. The Bears are leaving the Pioneer League to join the SoCon in scholarship football. The schoolxe2x80x99s football program is still in its infancy, having signed its first recruiting class in 2012 and playing its first game on August 31 against Reinhardt. Located in Macon, Georgia, the school has an undergraduate enrollment of 4,500 students and will help the Southern Conference keep a foothold in the Georgia to counter the loss of Georgia Southern.

nVirginia Military Institute

nIn keeping with the homecoming theme, VMI returns to the SoCon, the conference the Keydets called home from 1924 to 2003. VMIxe2x80x99s football team has an all-time record of 461-638-42 and has won six Southern Conference titles (1957, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1974 and 1977). Located in Lexington, Virginia, the Keydets are well-known in current SoCon circles thanks to their former membership and rivalry with The Citadel in the annual battle known as the Military Classic of the South. The two teams first played in 1920 and, since World War II, have played each other nearly every season (1956, 2004 and 2008-2010 being the exceptions). The Citadel currently holds the Silver Shako xe2x80x93 the trophy given to the winner xe2x80x93 and an edge in the all-time series (36-30-2). Among the Keydetsxe2x80x99 notable football alumni are Thomas Haskins, Tim Maypray, Bobby Thomason and Mike Wooten.

nSo everyone play nice with our new friends and make sure they feel welcome. From all of us at Southern Pigskin, welcome to the family Buccaneers, Bears and Keydets.